By D.A. Kirk
This story originally appeared on TrigTent.com
In January of 2017, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr denounced President Trump’s decision to sign an executive order that temporarily prevented travelers from entering the United States if they were arriving from one of seven predominantly Muslim nations. The order, which was characterized by many as a Muslim travel ban, also suspended the admission of Syrian refugees into the country. Kerr called the decision a “horrible idea” that could have significant unintended consequences. “If anything, we could be breeding anger and terror,” he said. “So I’m completely against what’s happening.”
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich expressed similar feelings. Asked for his thoughts on the matter, Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry didn’t mince words, calling the order “absolute bullshit.” Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter took to Twitter to share his “disbelief” over the administration’s decision. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told CNN’s Erin Burnett that he thought the order was “half-assed and half-baked.” And during an awards ceremony for the NAACP, the legendary Lebron James said, “I stand with the many, many Americans who believe this does not represent what the United States is all about.”
During that same ceremony, James stated that “it’s important that we as athletes continue to use the platform we have to speak up for what we believe in.” That quote seems particularly relevant to the ongoing controversy over Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters. After rushing to apologize for Morey’s alleged insensitivity, the NBA has been wrestling with backlashes on both sides of the world — one in the United States for capitulating to a ruthless communist government, and one in China for not coming down harder on Morey.
“How can the same people who loudly voiced their opposition to Trump’s Muslim travel ban exhibit such passive indifference toward the incomprehensible abuses being perpetrated on Chinese Muslims?”
